A Thousand Sweet Kisses
by mollywobblesundersee
Summary: kiss; verb, 1. touch or caress with the lips as a sign of love, sexual desire, or greeting. All the ways Madge and Gale kiss.
1. rushed, late for work kisses

Gale isn't usually in a hurry to get to work. It's depressing sinking below ground every day and not seeing sunlight for hours. His lungs always feel heavy when he comes up at the end of the day, even with the masks they're issued. They're not exactly the best, but he supposed it could be much worse without them. Particularly since their wedding, he had hated leaving Madge alone all day in a new house in a new part of town. He never wanted to be there for longer than he had to be, but with Madge now sharing his bed and his life, he was particularly negative about it.

The hatred for leaving may have overwhelmed him slightly one Monday morning. Madge had pulled herself into him and let her hand run along his thigh and _God_ , did she drive him crazy when she touched him. Okay, so maybe it wasn't so much the hatred of leaving that kept him in bed. Sue him, he was a young, newly married guy with a crazy beautiful wife. One thing led to another, and when he next looked at the clock, he was nearly half an hour behind schedule. His morning routine didn't last long, so that much of a setback was bad. Catastrophically bad. He darted up from the bed to get dressed, while Madge made her way out of the bedroom less frantically (not frantically at all) to get him some food ready. Madge only had the worry of him doing a day's work on an empty stomach. To Gale, that amounted to a carefree morning. Gale pulled on his uniform as fast as he could, cursing the tiny buttons of the shirt he had to get on. His fingers weren't bible or gentle like Madge's, so they were a chore to speed through.

Uniform on and ready, Gale rushed out of the bedroom to get his boots on. They stayed by the door, signalling to himself and to Madge that work was left behind once he crossed the threshold. The Capitol only got to own him for the hours in his shift. After that, he and his family didn't have to think about the mined. Glancing into the dirty mirror which stood by the coat stand, he cursed Madge's hand for trailing through his hair so much while they had sex. His hair would have to remain ruffled and tugged out of place, and he'd be subject to the teasing of his crew. Gale knew it was preferable to getting a punishment for showing up late - peacekeepers didn't take too kindly to tardiness and he had seen men whipped as the rest of the crew had been lowered into the mineshaft for the day. Gale went back to tying the lace on his left boot and bolted out of the door as soon as it was done. He hadn't noticed Madge standing behind him, waiting to give him his breakfast and lunch, so she was left standing with an apple and a wrapped sandwich in her hands as he bolted towards the street.

"Gale, slow down and take your food," she shouted before he reached their rickety, broken gate. He immediately turned and run up onto their barely-standing porch and grabbed the food.

"Thanks," he quickly told her, and before he left again, he pressed his lips firmly onto hers. The kiss lasted for a few seconds at the most, but it felt like forever to them both. Despite the speed and intensity, Madge found herself smiling as her husband's lips parted form hers and he bolted down the path to join the other miners on their walk up to work.


	2. kisses that leave red lipstick stains

The first night after selection of the tributes means Capitol citizens are flooding her living room. Madge hated being sociable with people she despised. Worse yet was having to dress up for the guests. It was barely nine am, but she was already zipped into a gold dress she hated. She sat in front of her mirror, layering on make up - stupid Capitol make up full of bizarre colours - and just wished it would all end. Katniss was gone for a second time and she had to pretend to be excited and enjoying being so close to a tribute for them.

Red lipstick was not her thing. Lipstick full stop was a no-go, but red felt too intense. She was gentle, liked pastel colours and florals. Not bold reds and harsh blacks like the eyeliner she'd just about managed to apply in a straight line. Madge looked at her face in the mirror as she fixed the edges of her lipstick so they were sharp and straight. She hated it. All the precision and brightness was only covering up the hate she really felt.

As she applied some glittery shapes by the side of her eye (how on Earth was this fashionable?), Madge heard a light knock at the stable door on the back of the house. Gale. He was going to make fun of her in such a stupid get-up. Knowing the maid would go looking if she left too long, Madge rushed out of her room and down to the back door.

"Hi," she said quietly, the door only just open.

Gale was taken aback by her Capitol inspired look. His blood boiled at the sight of Madge having to dress like one of them. Over the course of the 74th games, they'd spoken more, and he now knew how much she hated putting on an act for the visitors they got. "Uh, hi," he stammered, taking in her new look. It was so not her. Everything she wore had a rigid shape and her face was tinted with colours he knew she despised. The two lingered in silence for a moment before he cleared his throat, "I found some strawberries — on my hunt, I mean. I figured I'd bring them over."

Madge nodded and her smile lifted just a touch. She needed a comfort like strawberries on such an awful day. "Come in, I'll find some coins for you," she told him, stepping aside so he could enter. Madge pulled a chair out from the kitchen table so he could sit, while she made her way to get some money from her father's wallet.

"You look awful," he piped up, causing Madge's head to turn. He had a slight smirk on his face, "You look good, but not like you. Normally, you look much prettier…"

If she weren't wearing so much make up, her pinking cheeks would be clear. Madge smiled and nodded, "All this gunk is horrible, but daddy said I have to adhere to what they like, at least for the first day. Hence the stupid sparkly shapes on half my face."  
Gale stood and came up to her, his finger brushing over the freshly applied shapes as soon as he was close enough. "Well, I can't wait until they go and let you be you," he said softly.

Madge pressed her hand on his chest and looked up, catching his eyes as they laid on her lips. She loved the feeling of his attention. No other guy's attention really mattered after Gale had started paying attention to her.

He took a step back and straightened out a little. All these moments were over familiar. With his kiss with Katniss weighing on his mind, he felt guilty being so close to Madge. When she handed over the money, he nodded, "Thanks. I'll just get out of your hair.

Before he could turn, Madge was on her toes and kisses his cheek. He held her hips to steady her as she sunk back down and pulled her in a little. Her scent was new, but he liked it. She smelt like a meadow, only slightly stronger. "You have a little stain," she said, her thumb rubbing over Gale's cheek. Her lips were imprinted in red. "Your mother will know you're leading on a girl from town," she teased, not having much luck at removing it.

"Leave it," he said quietly, pulling a strand of Madge's up-do loose. "And make sure your dad knows I'm messing up your hair before important visits," he added, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

Gale turned to leave, the strawberries now on the kitchen table. Madge followed him to the door and leant against the doorframe as he stepped down from the porch. "I'll see you later?" she asked. Madge and Gale had planned to meet for an hour or so before the interviews to clear their heads. Everyone around them brought out their individual frustrations with the Games in individual ways.

"You bet, Undersee," he said with a wink, jumping over her fence to carry on with his day's trading. Madge grinned and shut the door, taking a strawberry with her on the way to her room as a little memento that not everything was tainted by the Games.


	3. morning kisses, gentle and lazy

_morning kisses; gentle and lazy, humming in contentment, limbs still tangled together, hands wandering over soft exposed skin._

Gale never thought he'd wake up in a house in town, much less the mayor's. Furthermore, he never expected he'd wake up to find the mayor's daughter with her legs tangled between his, naked save for her tiny nightshirt. As his eyes adjusted to the light which was just streaming in through her curtains, Gale looked over at her sleeping figure. She was gorgeous. Her skin had a beautiful glow and her messy hair painted pictures over her pillow as it laid out from a night's sleep. If he had to pick a moment to relive, it would be waking up to find her like this. For a moment, he had forgotten all the hardships in his life, the back-breaking work he did, the pain he felt for his best friend. Every ache and pain melted away when he saw Madge's lips open involuntarily and mumble out some nonsense about a dog. He wanted to sit up, take her in for all her glory, but he would risk waking her. The last night had been perfect and he didn't want that bliss to end.

Madge fidgeted a little and he saw her mouth open again, this time in a yawn. She blinked a few times and looked up, seeing Gale's eyes fixated on her. Her lips curled into a smile and she shuffled up the bed, moving closer into Gale. He was a lucky son of a bitch. Gale ran his fingertips through her golden hair and smiled back at her, "Morning sleepyhead. You feeling okay?"

"Perfect," she said, sitting up a little. Gale cupped her cheeks and pulled her into his lap, praying there wasn't too much skin-to-skin contact. As much as he wanted to make love to Madge again, he didn't want to cheapen the moment. Madge cupped his cheeks and pressed a kiss onto his lips, delicate and beautiful just like her. The blonde pulled back and let her eyes settle on Gale's, "Last night was incredible. Thank you."

Huffing, Gale placed another kiss on her lips, "You don't have to thank me." His smile was infectious, and he could hear the light laugh Madge let out following his comment. Little things she did made him completely forget about the imperfections in the world. She erased them from his mind with each sweet laugh, every flick of her hair and in every word she said to him, no matter the tone. She embodied the things he loved about life, even if they were far and few between these days. Gale gave her another kiss, though this one was less precise and neat than before. He just had to be close to her, "What happened last night was great for me too — special— because it was with you. I want you to know it meant a lot to me. You're not just a fling or a distraction… You mean a lot to me, even if I suck at showing it."

Her smile lit up the room more than the breaking sunlight, Gale was certain. "You mean a lot to me too," she said softly, her lips lingering above his. Gale closed the gap between them and tangled his fingers into her hair, making sure their bodies stayed close. If he got this for the rest of his life, he was set. As Madge deepened the kiss, Gale's hand slipped from her hair to her thigh. He wasn't going to initiate anything, but he craved the feeling of her skin. It was a complete contrast to his calloused and rough hands; delicate, unblemished, silk-smooth and pale. Madge responded by lowering her hands to his shoulders, refusing to widen the gap between them.

Love wasn't the right word. At least not yet. They had more to learn and uncover before either of them could say it was love that they felt. But whatever they felt in this limbo was strong and unwavering, that they did know. As they peppered more kisses over necks and collarbones, both of them could tell this wasn't going to be their last time. They had more firsts to make, provided the world gave them the courtesy. Time wasn't going to stop for them, but it paused when they were together; gave them a small reprieve to let their passion take over. Despite the upheaval of their worlds, they could be grateful for those moments they got to steal. In a world so cruel, they were at lease allowed that kindness.

 **A/N:** This one is pretty short, but I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you thought and if there are any scenarios you want to see! 


	4. soft goodnight kisses

Over the time they've known each other, Gale had become very familiar with Madge's back porch. Strawberries were traded over the stable door, subtly enforcing the divide within their society. Whenever he'd been inside, the back porch was how he left. He'd memorised which bits of wood creaked if you stepped on them, keeping every encounter they had a secret.

Going through the front door was a symbol; they were out in the open, ready to be gawked at and judged. Dinner with her father was their first public date and the first time Gale ever went through the front door of the Undersee home. It was pristine - no chipping paint like the back porch - and was lit on either side with beautiful, ornate lamps. The porch probably cost more to decorate than his entire home, but he figured it was a perk of being the mayor.

Madge was the one to open the door to him. Gale smiled instantly, handing her a messy bunch of flowers from the meadow tied with a little piece of string. "Thank you," she said softly, pressing a kiss into his cheek before guiding him inside. The blonde shut the door behind him and showed her boyfriend through to the kitchen. "I just want to put these in some water. Daddy's finishing something or other in his office," she remarked, looking around for a jug or cup to keep the small posy in.

"No rush. I'd like to put off my murder for as long as possible," he quipped, pulling out a chair from the small wooden table.

Looking back at her boyfriend, Madge laughed, "He won't murder you, he's going to love you. If you make me happy then he can't really complain."

Trust me, Gale thought, he'll find something to complain about.

Dinner began as a tense affair. Gale didn't want to put a toe out of place, Mr Undersee was determined to come across as a stern father and Madge was stuck in the middle of it. Once she pointed out that everyone at the table had her best interest at heart, things eased up. The three of them discussed the mines, his hobbies (the legal ones), and how their relationship had begun. Madge was sure she saw a smile creep onto her father's lips as Gale told the story of their first kiss, complete with details like the smell of the meadow and the way the stars lit the encounter. His baby girl or not, the story could have been lifted from the page of a book.

The night drew to a close just before eight-thirty so Gale could get back for a good sleep before his next shift. Mr Undersee, who had now insisted Gale call him by his first name, waved the young man off as Madge ushered him onto the steps outside her front door.

"I told you he'd love you," Madge said, a slight smirk visible in the dim, orange light. The blonde let her hands rest on his chest, tugging slightly on his collar, "Once you both calmed down, it was like you were crew mates or something!"

Gale laughed slightly and smoothed his fingertips through the tumbling waves of her hair, "I wouldn't go that far. I am still dating his daughter."

Madge nodded, shivering as a breeze passed her. Gale instantly pulled her a little closer, placing a delicate kiss on her forehead. Madge responded by lifting herself just slightly onto her toes, followed by a tug at his neck until their lips were pressed together. The kiss was quickly reciprocated, deepened even, by Gale, who's fingers once again found their way through her hair.

Every kiss felt like the perfect length. They broke the kiss a few times, only going back for more each time. With the second strong breeze, Madge retreated back and giggled a little, "I think that's our cue to get back to the warm."

"Nah," he responded, placing a light kiss against her lips again. He was hungry for even a few more seconds with her. His arms were around her in a light squeeze, watching as the light caught the blue of her eyes and made it sparkle even more. "I can keep you warm," he added.

"Gale, go home. I know you told your mother you'd be back and she's probably worried sick!" Madge argued. As much as she didn't want him to go, logic had to prevail. He needed sleep if he was going to manage a twelve hour shift, and he needed not to be whacked by his mother if their relationship was going to carry on.

Gale rolled his eyes playfully and dipped down to kiss Madge again, "Fine… Goodnight, Princess."

"Goodnight," she told him, her eyes glued to him as he left the lit steps and headed down the path. Once she was sure he was safely on his way, Madge stepped back inside. Madge made her way upstairs, still giddy from the whole experience. The heat from the radiators wasn't what kept her warm; it was the sensation of Gale's lips on hers, the feeling of his hands running over her body, all wrapped in the amber package of the lights.


End file.
